Letters

Editor’s note: Lancaster resident Dustin Owens has sought support from Lancaster City Council, Lancaster County Council and Lancaster County Parks and Recreation for a local skateboarding park. In a letter, “Skate park supporter’s request falls on deaf ears,” published April 4, Owens shared his disappointment at the proceedings. Steve Willis, Lancaster County administrator, responded to Owens in a letter. Following is Willis’ response.

I would like to thank letter writer John Realmuto, “Writer: Call Lancaster ‘last of Wild West towns’ in the April 13 edition of The Lancaster News, for your observation.
Please remember when you’re at the voting booth this election that we have a great Republican candidate running for sheriff this year. His name is Scott Case, who graduated high school, is a U.S. Navy veteran and holds two college degrees.

Lancaster, York and the surrounding counties have an opportunity that is probably the envy of many counties and states in America. What I am talking about is the Catawba Nation’s plan to build a casino on their reservation.
The potential and benefit, especially to Lancaster and York counties, not to mention the state of South Carolina, is a welcome gift from the Catawbas.

On behalf of the city of Lancaster, I would like to send a shout-out to everyone who made Lancaster’s second Rosie’s Easter Bash a success.
These individuals brought their talents and energy, which created an atmosphere of family and fun to an estimated 3,000 folks hunting for 4,000 eggs.
Thank you to the Lancaster High School Civinettes, Sarina Johnson, Jasmine Brown, Aliya Byrd, Charleen Allen and adviser Stacey Kirkley, who took time out after school during February and March to collect candy and fill eggs, as well as volunteer at the bash.

“Our children are our future.” No truer words have been spoken. Imagine a future without our children. Not in the sense that they are not here, but lost to us through our own selfish neglect. I am not saying every waking moment should be in pursuit of a need or want for your children. But listen to them, love them and raise them to be the loving, caring adults God intended them to be.

Just as the effects of a challenging economy are felt by families in every community, cancer, too, has a far-reaching impact. No matter how the stock market is performing or what the current unemployment rate may be, there are still many people battling a cancer diagnosis and many others who are lending support alongside loved ones every day.
These realities make the dollars donated and volunteer hours devoted to the American Cancer Society – a part of Lancaster County for many years – critically important.

Lancaster County 4-H welcomes you: What’s the meaning of this sign if there are no 4-H clubs?
The 4-H pledge is “I pledge my head to clearer thinking; my heart to greater loyalty; my hands to larger services and my health to better living for my club, my community, my country and my world.” The 4-H motto is “To make the best better.”
What could be better in this day and time than to have such a club to help empower our youth during their trying times?

Last week was Volunteer Appreciation Week, with Sunday, April 22, being Girl Scout Leader Appreciation Day.
I want to take this opportunity to personally thank each and every Girl Scout volunteer for their contributions to our organization.

God has blessed me with some very good students to work with in the First Baptist Church drama team. We started this team a year ago to give young people the tools and knowledge they need to make the right choices in life – not like the ones I made as a young person.
When I was 13, I got caught up with drugs, alcohol and gangs. By the time I was 18, I was sent to prison, where I spent three years. I didn’t get saved until I was 26. I later got married and now have three children.

There are many reasons to vote for a politician. Lately, it seems it’s done mostly to see that the team wearing your jersey controls the government. Or you vote because the person closely mirrors your own beliefs.